John, I know you and many of our Bodholt's friends knew or were taught by Mr. Boutsikaris. Thought you would want to know of his passing.

Charles Thomas Boutsikaris
Newark educator, fencing coach, 93 Charles Thomas Boutsikaris, 93, of Clifton died on Wednesday, Oct. 8, 2008, at home. The funeral will be from the Bizub-Quinlan Funeral Home, (www.bizub.com), 1313 Van Houten Ave., Clifton, on Saturday at 9:15 a.m. then to St. George G.O. Church, 818 Valley Rd., Clifton, at 10 a.m. Entombment will follow at Gate of Heaven Cemetery, East Hanover. Visitation is on Friday from 5 to 8 p.m. Born in Newark, Mr. Boutsikaris lived there before moving to Clifton 30 years ago. He was married to his sweetheart, Hortense Boutsikaris (nee Raffaelo), for 65 years before she predeceased him in May 2008. Beginning in 1947, Mr. Boutsikaris was employed as an educator with the Newark school system and retired in the early 1980s as the principal of the Helen Keller School for the Visually Impaired. Mr. Boutsikaris was involved in the sport of fencing in Newark beginning in the 1930s. He studied under the late Dr. Gerald Cetrullo and went on to be inducted into the Panzer College Hall of Fame. Mr. Boutsikaris coached Barringer High School in Newark and Rutgers University, Newark, to many fencing titles. He also served in the U.S. Army during World War II. He was the beloved father of Sandra Tobia and Thomas C. Boutsikaris; beloved father-in-law of Ronald L. Tobia and Joanne Boutsikaris; loving grandfather of Jill Tobia Sorger and her husband, Andrew Sorger, Charissa Caffry and her husband, Christopher Caffry, Alisandra Tobia Hart and her husband, Todd Hart, Liza Boutsikaris, and Joseph Tobia and his wife, Claire Tobia; dearest great-grandfather of Maxwell and Samantha Sorger. Also survived by brother, George Boutsikaris and sister, Norma Tsirikos. He was predeceased by brothers, Harry and Gregory Boutsikaris. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Institute of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Pediatric Development Center, 200 South Orange Ave., Suite 101, Livingston, N.J . 07039, Attention: Aviva Bojko, MD, Director, Pediatric Neurology in memory of Charles.

He and his brother Harry were recreation teachers at the Sussex Avenue Playground during the years 1959 to 1964. Mr. Boots, a very nice man. I also remember Mr. Steve Adubato, Mr. Adams, Mr. Meadows, Miss Corine Ciriaco, Mr. Malenkof, Mr. Hardy, Mrs. McGucken, and Mr. Frank Verducci.

I remember Mr. Boots very well. I was in his fencing class at Barringer '67 and '68, and he was a great coach. He taught me something about balance. Rest in peace.

Ironic how such a tough town as NEWARK became known world-wide for such a sophisticated sport as fencing, thanks to Mr. Boutsikaris at Barringer and Dr. Dambola a mile away at Essex. (And wasn't Dr. Dambola originally coached by Mr. Boutsikaris)? C'mon, some Essex fencer out there should know this?

My mother knew relatives of Mr. Boutsikaris and told us years ago that he (or maybe one of his relatives with the same last name?) went out to Hollywood and coached Douglas Fairbanks Jr. on fencing techniques for several of his movies.

In any case, it sounds like he was an exceptional coach who touched a lot of lives. RIP.

There is an actor Dennis Boutsikaris who was born in Newark in 52. he has to be a relative.

Mr. Boots was my fencing coach from 67 to 70. He was a great coach. We easily won the city championship every year and twice we won the state championship .
He was the coach when Barringer interrupted ended Essex Catholic's dominance of that sport ( and their multi-year unbeaten streak.) Essex Catholic was coached at that time by Dr. D'ambola who was our family's doctor and was himself a former Barringer fencer.
Mr. Boots was in really great physical condition in his mid 50's and it wouldn't surprise anyone from my era that he lived so long and well.
I am sad to know that he is gone.